


Second Time Around

by Sashataakheru



Series: Strange Magic [11]
Category: Electric Light Orchestra, The Move RPS
Genre: Aftercare, Collars, Community: kink_bingo, D/s, M/M, Oral Sex, Solo Kink, Testing - Freeform, Training, lifestyle d/s
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-21
Updated: 2011-08-21
Packaged: 2017-10-22 21:40:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/242863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sashataakheru/pseuds/Sashataakheru
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a rough few years, Hugh runs into Roy one night. Taking pity on him, Roy asks his master if he can take him home, and Hugh finds himself living under a master's rule for the first time in a long time. He vows to do whatever it takes to win over this master and find himself a collar again. Set 1983-ish.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Second Time Around

**Author's Note:**

> Written for kink_bingo for my wildcard square. Main kink is 'masters doms slaves and subs'. [My card and the rest of my fills can be found here.](http://3evilmuses.dreamwidth.org/31556.html)

It might've been nearly May, but that hadn't taken the chill out of the air. It was nearly nightfall and Hugh was looking for somewhere to shelter for the night. He wasn't sure exactly how long he'd been living rough as he'd travelled all over the place between Birmingham and London, looking for anyone who might give him a bed for a night. He was back in Brum again, and it all felt far too familiar. He almost didn't come back again, but it was safe, it was familiar, and it beat finding his way around another strange city.

He walked through the park, trying to find somewhere to rest. Finding a small gazebo, he took the chance to get out of the wind just as the rain began to fall. Huddling under his blanket, he ate the last of his food and wondered what he'd eat tomorrow. He didn't like being so close to the road, but it was as far as he was willing to go. Staying close to the road meant an easier escape route if he were discovered. He would need it if some bastards tried to beat him up again. They always attacked at night, so he'd become nocturnal. If he was awake, he was less likely to be robbed or beaten up. The streets could be as cruel as they were kind.

He was just dozing off, trying to get a little sleep in to keep him awake during the night, when a car pulled up nearby, headlights shining through the lattice walls. Roused from his sleep, he shifted a little to see who it was. The rain was falling much more heavily now, and he saw someone dash out of the car and over to the phone box. Hugh didn't think it was anything to worry about, and he was about to settle back again, when he recognised him as he fumbled with the change for the phone. Amazed to see an old friend, Hugh risked losing his spot as he gathered up his few belongings and ran over to the phone box.

"Need some change?" Hugh said as he popped his head in.

Surprised, Roy dropped the phone and turned to see who had intruded. It took him a moment to recognise the man before him. "Oh, Christ, Hugh. What the hell are you doing here?"

"Oh, you know, hanging around. How've you been?" Hugh said.

"Good, good. Um. You wanna come in here? You're soaking wet," Roy said, pulling him inside the phone box.

Squeezing in, they were pressed close together. Roy could take in his appearance at last. Hugh wasn't sure he wanted to tell him the truth, but by the look in his eyes, Roy had figured it out.

"You look like you've taken quite a beating. Everything alright?" Roy said.

"I haven't had a master for four years. Lost everything after Jeff threw me out. Been wandering the countryside since. I warned him. He knew what I was like without him around to stop me. And he still threw me out anyway. You haven't got a few quid you could lend me, have you? Don't know if I'll be able to eat tomorrow," Hugh said, unable to lie to him.

"Change of plans. I'll call my master. He might take you on, or at least offer you a bed for a few days. You look like you need it," Roy said.

"Oh, I wouldn't want to intrude-"

Roy gave him a pointed look, gesturing to the rain outside. "You think I'm going to let you sleep out there in this weather?"

Hugh considered how wet he was already. "Perhaps not. I'll take a bed if it's going."

Fishing out some change, Roy made the call. Hugh didn't know who he was talking to and he discretely left the phone box if only so he didn't overhear them. He felt it rude. Outside wasn't much nicer; the wind chilled him to the bone. He could only hope Roy's master took pity on him and let him have a bed for the night. He looked over at Roy as he left the phone box and stood beside him.

"You're lucky. He's feeling lenient. I'm to take you home and get you cleaned up before I present you to him. He likes to meet everyone who stays under his roof. Are these terms agreeable?" Roy said.

"If it beats sleeping in the rain, I'll take it. God knows I've missed being under a master's rule. I haven't worn a collar for years," Hugh said.

Roy smiled. "Come on, let's get you home then. If you're lucky, he might take you on as one of his own."

That prospect was not one to give up on. Hugh followed Roy into the car and they drove off into the night. Hugh couldn't help feeling like things were about to come good.

* * *

The house they arrived at was a large expansive country estate that was situated in a small village south east of Bromsgrove. It was set on a narrow strip of land by the canal and had immense manicured gardens and a couple of open sheep fields beyond that. Hugh had no idea who might live there, but it was apparent Roy's master wasn't starving. The house itself was a grand Georgian-style mansion, if on a more manageable and slightly smaller scale. Roy drove them down to the house and into the garage. Roy made him leave his things behind in the garage as they entered the house.

"I'll show you the bathrooms. You can wash while I get you some food and a collar. Everyone in the house must be collared. Master's rule," Roy said as he led him to the guest bathroom on the ground floor.

The bathroom itself was grander than Hugh had anticipated. He wasn't sure he deserved to wash in such a place, but Roy encouraged him to enter.

"Go on. You're alright. Master said you can use it. The rules are here, see," Roy showed him the list of rules for guests using the bathroom that sat on the wall beside the basin, "so just make sure you follow them. Master can be quite strict with these things and I'd not cross him if I were you."

"Yes, sir. I'm not so rash I would disobey rules, sir," Hugh said, beginning to feel his submissive mindset returning.

"I'll leave you to it. I'll come and get you in fifteen minutes. Make sure you're done by then. My master does not like to be kept waiting," Roy said.

"Yes, sir," Hugh said.

* * *

Left alone, Hugh made a point of reading the rules first. He found nothing too surprising and took a moment to find his subspace. It was a weird feeling, having to be submissive again, but he soon embraced it as he relished being under a master's rule, even if it was only as a guest. He had to remind himself not to go too deep just yet. He didn't want to get too deep, only to find himself back out on the streets the next day. He'd been through that before and the drop was never pleasant. He'd learnt how to cope through sheer stubbornness as there was never anyone around to comfort him.

Stripping, he left his clothes to one side and stepped under a hot shower. He was sure he'd never felt anything so pleasurable in his life. That he had a deadline stopped him indulging too much. Scrubbing all the dirt from his body, he concentrated on getting himself squeaky clean. If he was well-presented, he may have a new master if he played his cards right.

Roy interrupted his shower before he was ready to leave. Reluctantly turning off the water, Hugh stepped out and dried off. Roy offered him some new clothes and a dull plain black leather collar and watched him dress.

"You had a flogging recently? Only, you got scars on your back, I just wondered-" Roy paused, unsure if he should ask.

Hugh turned to face him. "Yeah. My first and last foray into being a painslut. I'm not cut out for it. Bastard did take care of me afterwards, though. I can't blame him. It was an experience, testing my limits. The sort of thing I do when I'm desperate for any master to take me in hand."

"If master wants to take you on, you'd probably better mention that to him. He'll want to know so he can avoid doing that to you unless you deserve it," Roy said.

"Punishment is different to pleasure, Roy. If punishment was meant to be fun, it wouldn't be punishment," Hugh said with a grin as he buckled the collar around his neck. "How do I look? Is me hair okay?"

"Sit down, I'll brush it for you," Roy said as he saw his tangled mess of hair.

Hugh obediently sat on the stool as Roy took to his hair with a harsh brush. He kept silent as he untangled his hair, though Roy did rather give up halfway through as it was proving impossible to fix.

"I think you're gonna have to lose it all. It's too much of a mess for me to salvage. Mind if I shave it off? It'll grow back," Roy said.

Hugh took the brush from him. "No, you really don't want to see me without hair. Cut off all the worst bits and I'll fix the rest. I'm not seeing your master with a bald head. I'm supposed to look me best, right?"

Roy wasn't sure they had time, but he had been asked to make him presentable. Picking up a small pair of scissors, they attacked Hugh's hair together, trying to sort it out as best they could. By the time they were done, his hair was much shorter and they'd got most of the matted hair out. It wasn't the best haircut he'd ever had, but under the circumstances, Hugh was not going to complain. After brushing his teeth and a shave, Roy was finally happy with Hugh's appearance.

"Come on, let's get some food in you before we get up there. You'll need your strength. He may want to test you, depending on how much he likes you," Roy said, ushering him out of the bathroom and off towards the kitchen.

Hugh ate in silence, savouring every bite, as Roy explained the house rules to him. It felt good to be submitting to it all again. He was in a proper house with a proper Master. There were rules and protocol, and it seemed there were a few fulltime subs living here.

Hugh felt he might like living here if Roy's master was nice enough to take him on. The collar around his neck was keeping him in check, reminding him he was bound to a master, if only for a while. The voice in the back of his head that liked letting him do whatever he wanted had been silenced. Hugh felt more relief at that than he had in ages. He didn't need it troubling him further.

* * *

Soon enough, Roy was leading him up the stairs to see his master. Hugh walked in silence, his head bowed. His subspace was taking over, preparing him to kneel at the feet of a master again. It was a natural reaction, more comfort for him that Jeff had been completely wrong about how to handle him.

They came to a set of double doors and Roy bid Hugh kneel so he could announce him. Hugh obeyed, remaining where he was with his head bowed as Roy opened the doors and entered.

"Master, I brought the sub I told you about. May I present Hugh McDowell, former sub to Jeff Lynne," Roy said.

Hugh didn't see his master approach; it was disrespectful to gaze upon a master without permission. He felt his hand on his head, his fingers running through his cut hair gently. His touch sent shivers up his spine. Hugh could feel the comforting hand of experience. Whoever he was, he knew what he was doing.

"I thought I told you to make him presentable? What sort of a mess do you call this?" He sounded incredulous, but not angry, least as far as Hugh could tell.

"Sir, you should've seen it before we cut it. He's been homeless for, what, four years or so? I'm not sure a haircut was a priority at the time," Roy said.

Roy's master pulled his hand away. "Hmm. Bring him in. I'll take a look at him."

"Yes, sir. Come on, Hugh, follow us in," Roy said.

Hugh gazed up a little as he crawled after them, making sure he didn't look up too much. The room was dark, and Hugh couldn't make out anything that might've been in it. It seemed like it should be the master bedroom, but who knew in this house? The doors were closed and some low lighting turned on. Hugh was pulled to his feet and stripped. Hugh stood there emotionless as he finally saw the face of Roy's master.

"Carl. I probably should've guessed it was you," Hugh said.

Carl slapped him hard, and Hugh knew he deserved it for speaking out of turn. He bowed his head respectfully and didn't reply. Carl moved around him, checking him out. A finger traced along the scars on his back and Hugh shivered.

"I wonder who did that to you. They're some serious scars," Carl commented.

"Yes, sir, I know. I am not cut out to be a painslut. That was after I left Jeff, too. Jeff never had the heart to do that to me. He hated hitting me. Felt too guilty about it," Hugh said.

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me. Still, whoever he was, he seems to have taken care of you. How long were you Jeff's sub?" Carl said, moving around in front of him.

"Five years, from '74 til '79. Not long enough," Hugh said.

"What happened? Did you leave him, or did he leave you?" Carl said.

"He left me. Kicked me out of the band, and then broke up my submissive contract at the same time. Happened in front of the whole band. I've never been so humiliated in my life. It wasn't good humiliation, either. It was bad humiliation. He meant to shame me in front of them, I'm sure of it, but I wouldn't let him. I wouldn't let him walk out of there like he was some sort of angel. He cast me out when he knew what I was like without him. He ruined me completely," Hugh said, trying not to get emotional.

"Were you so consumed with anger you rejected all the discipline he'd taught you? What a fine way to show your thanks. You can hardly blame him for your ruin," Carl said.

Hugh couldn't disagree. His shoulders slumped as he stood there, staring at the floor. Maybe he wouldn't be getting a new master after all. "It was stupid, I know, and maybe if we'd broken up in a better way, I'd have been better behaved, but I just hated him so much I was determined to do all the things he never liked me doing, just to spite him. I think I wanted to show him how much I needed him, even though there was no way I'd ever get him back. I didn't want him back either. I refused to talk to him. Eventually, he stopped trying to call me, but it was too late anyway. I was too caught up in drowning my sorrows to listen even if I had agreed to talk to him. It was a cycle I couldn't escape. I lost everything. There's nothing like being reduced to nothing to give you perspective, though. I was an idiot, and I did stupid things, but maybe it's time to stop being an idiot and start behaving again. It's been four years. I think that's long enough. It's not like I have anything else left to lose."

Carl considered his comments. "You'd require retraining, of course, and discipline, but you might come good. I'm willing to offer a three month trial. If it's working out, I'll consider signing you on permanently. Like all my contracts, if you don't like it, you can always walk out during the trial period without consequence. I realise your situation is different, though, and if you need help with accommodation or anything, should you choose to end the trial, I'll give you as much help as I can. I wouldn't want you starving out there. I'm not that much of a bastard. How does that sound?"

"Sir, that would be amazing. I have longed to live under a master's rule again, and I'd be happy to accept a trial run. I'm honoured you're willing to take me on like this. I'm not even looking my best either," Hugh said and bowed to him reverently.

"Get him collared up properly. Meet me in the dungeon. I want to test my new sub, see what his limits are," Carl said.

"Yes, sir." Roy bowed and gestured for Hugh to follow.

* * *

They stopped in a small store room and Hugh's guest collar was replaced by a training collar. It had thicker leather, and a few O-rings, but was otherwise plain and undecorated. It was a brief stop, and neither Hugh nor Roy spoke as Roy led him downstairs to the dungeon. It was situated at the back of the house on the ground floor, though you'd never believe it. The windows were covered, and the walls soundproofed. The walls were steel grey. The floor was covered with black tiles. Hugh noticed the different sorts of toys and equipment in the room, and the familiarity was calming. Just like old times, except Jeff had never had a proper dungeon, not like this. He'd been too afraid of anyone finding it.

Hugh and Roy waited by the door for Carl to join them. Hugh knelt at Roy's feet, like he'd been told. Carl soon appeared, striding into the room dressed in black leather. They bowed before him as he entered, keeping their gaze lowered. Hugh's instincts were kicking in again, subspace inviting him into its warm embrace. Hugh really liked subspace. It was the only time he really felt complete. His breathing had slowed as he knelt there. He hadn't felt so calm for years.

Carl grabbed his collar from behind and pulled him to his feet. Able to take in his appearance, Hugh could feel the dominance dripping off him. There was no way Hugh would ever disobey him. Maybe he'd finally found the right master for him.

"In there," Carl said as he led Hugh over to a small room at the back.

It was set off the main dungeon and was split in two, a room within a room. Hugh didn't get a chance to see the antechamber before he was left alone in the main part of the room. Four solid walls, including one with a large one-way mirror, and a few lights. There wasn't much else there, apart from a few toys and other assorted items. There were no windows to the outside world, leaving it dark and isolated. Hugh knelt in the middle of the floor, waiting for his instructions.

"Roy, you know what to do. Run him through all the drills and bring me the tape. I want to see how good he is," Carl said.

"Yes, sir," Roy said.

Carl remained in the antechamber while Roy entered the main room with Hugh. Carl was still sure he'd make a decent Dom out of Roy if he made him practice enough. It was why Roy always did the initial testing. He was supposed to be the first in command amongst his submissives. He needed to act like someone in charge, not a simpering servant, or the other subs wouldn't respect his orders. Roy was his voice in the house when he wasn't there. He needed to trust Roy would get things done and keep things in order without him. So far, his faith in him had been proved correct, even if Roy was still a little tentative about being in charge.

Perhaps it was Hugh's desperation for a master that made him obey Roy without question. Roy outlined what he was supposed to do and made him memorise them. It was a test of discipline. Left alone in a room, with cameras ready to film everything he did and a list of instructions, how well would he obey? Carl had found it quite enlightening as it had proved to be quite useful in weeding out subs that were no good. The ones who wanted to stay did as they were told.

They weren't usually told the cameras were there either. The one-way mirror was enough of a ruse to make them think they were being watched. It was a bit sneaky, but Carl had tried it with subs who'd known they were being filmed and the results had been less than satisfactory. They got too nervous and underperformed, or played up to the cameras too much. But just being observed through a window, while being secretly filmed, was the better combination.

* * *

Hugh spent a moment going over the list in his mind. He wanted to make sure he could remember it correctly so he didn't make any mistakes. He knew this was the best chance he got to become an owned submissive again, and he wasn't going to jeopardise that for anything.

The first thing he had to do was strip and leave his clothes in the corner. That was easy enough. He had no shame at being naked and observed. He quite enjoyed showing off like that. Once he'd done that, he had been told to write down his likes and dislikes, and any aftercare requirements he needed. There was also an extensive form to fill in regarding his health and other personal issues. Hugh was impressed. Jeff hadn't even been this extensive in getting to know him. They'd just sort of fallen together and somehow made it work.

Once he'd finished writing, the next thing he had to do was to get himself hard, and keep himself that way without coming, for more than fifteen minutes. It seemed easy enough as far as tests went, and he sat on the ground so he could sit on his hands. He didn't want to spoil it by stroking himself so much he came. It was an uncomfortable state to be in though. It made him horny, but keeping that erection took a lot of energy. He hadn't had any sort of sexual experiences for a few weeks and it was getting to him.

He tried thinking of Jeff to stop him coming, but it just made him completely cold instead as he thought about how he'd screwed him over. He tried thinking of the better times, when Jeff was a decent master to him. All those little moments they shared, where Jeff's dominance was the only thing in his life and Hugh obeyed him willingly. Jeff had taken a while to get more daring in his commands, and that one time they'd had sex in the studio, Hugh bent over his cello, was possibly one of the best.

He had to stop himself at the memory. It was getting too much, and there was precome oozing from his cock. He thought about the day he'd lost his collar instead. That worked, even if it made him want to punch Jeff for what he'd done. He punched the floor instead. That helped a little.

He stroked himself again, trying to keep himself hard. He imagined what it'd feel like being under Carl's command. His firm hand on his neck, keeping him submissive. That short moment was enough to send his thoughts spiralling. He imagined he was being tied up and fucked. Roy was sucking him off. Hugh's body was on display, suspended in the air, willing them to take their pleasure from him. He didn't care if he didn't get off. That wasn't the point. That was never the point. Hugh's pleasure was always secondary to his master's pleasure. It was how he operated.

He had to sit on his hands again, trying to settle himself down. He'd almost come from that fantasy. He checked his watch then, just to see how much time he had left. He only had an hour and a half to get everything done and decided he'd move on, since he'd been going for twenty minutes.

There was a small electric vibrator in the corner. He was supposed to strap the ends to his balls and see how long he could last. He wasn't that well-practiced at electricity play, but he went with it anyway. It was a very strange sensation. Pleasurable, but strange. After five minutes, he wasn't sure he liked it at all, and turned the machine off. It had just made his balls hurt in an unpleasant manner, though this did have the added effect of not making him come.

He didn't like the cockring either, but he understood its purpose. It began to feel annoying after a while, and if he hadn't still had things to do, he'd have taken it off. He felt, perhaps, it was the style he didn't like, as opposed to all cockrings, and made a note of that for later. His new master would need to know that.

The last test was probably the hardest. He was annoyed he wasn't even alone anymore, and he was still wearing the cockring to keep him hard. Still, fucking Roy as he tried not to come himself was more than enough to concentrate on. He had to keep going til Roy'd come, and Roy seemed to take a long time. Hugh wasn't entirely sure if it was actually as long as it felt, or if he was just so frustrated time slowed down.

He wasn't sure how he managed it, considering he hadn't had sex for some time. He was still desperate to come, but even though he'd finished, Roy still said no. He told him to follow him back to Carl's room. Hugh obeyed, hoping there'd be some payoff.

* * *

Carl was lounging on his bed when they arrived. He'd been watching their progress from the small room on the video screen on the other side of the room. It had taken a lot of money to set it up, but it was worth it. It meant he could watch but not be seen, watching how his new sub would perform on their own. He often kept the tapes, unless the sub asked him to destroy them. Sometimes, they proved to be useful teaching aides at the start of any new relationship with a new sub as they got to know each other.

As they entered, Hugh knelt by the bedside. Roy knelt beside him after giving him the forms Hugh had filled out. Carl took a moment to read through them all, just to make sure there were no surprises. Once he was satisfied, the papers were set aside in a drawer by the bed. Carl sat up and looked over at them. He stroked Hugh's hair gently, and Hugh wanted nothing more than to be at his side for the rest of his life.

"So, how did he go?" Carl said.

"Well enough. He should be fine here with a little training. He knows how to use the toys, and he's still got some discipline to his name, even if he didn't think he had any left. He did everything in order and didn't miss anything out. I can't find a reason to fault his performance," Roy said.

"Get on the bed, Hugh. Show me how good you are," Carl said as he unbuckled his trousers.

"Yes, sir."

Hugh moved into position, understanding what he was supposed to do. He channelled all his energy into what he was doing, making sure he gave his new master the best damn blow job he could manage. It's not like he was short of practice.

Hugh took his time. He didn't want to rush it. He'd done his fair share of hurried blow jobs in dirty alleyways and in dodgy toilet blocks. This was different. Concentrating solely on his master's pleasure tempered his own arousal, leaving him free to worry just about getting him off. He liked it when he could focus like that. Subspace did that to him, and he was always more concerned about his master than himself. Pleasure came at the master's discretion, not from his own decisions. Jeff had taught him that much at least.

He swallowed everything obediently and sat back, waiting for his master to judge him. He was still hard, he still had the cockring on, and he still wanted to come eventually, but he didn't dwell on it. It wasn't for him to decide. He kept his hands behind his back to stop himself touching his cock.

"I might have to tutor you a little, you're a little too sloppy in places and learnt a few bad habits, but you'll keep. Come here, I think you deserve a little something for all that. It's over, alright? Let me take care of you," Carl said.

Carl brought him into his arms and kissed him. Hugh had to admit he wasn't used to that. Jeff had never held him like that. Hugh couldn't help feeling like Carl actually cared about his submissives. He might've even described it as love.

But that was as far as Hugh got. With the cockring removed, Carl had him lying on his back as he sucked him off, showing him how he liked doing it. Hugh could barely pay attention enough as Carl practically made love to him, getting to know his new sub's body intimately. It was slow and gentle. Slow, gentle, and wonderful.

Hugh was almost disappointed when it was over. He'd come hard and he lay there, his body completely relaxed. His cock was finally allowed to go soft. There was a familiar tingling as the blood retracted. Carl kissed him one last time as he brought him into his arms.

"Master, if you'll excuse me for talking out of turn, I just wanted to say thank you," Hugh said softly.

Carl gave him a playful slap and smiled down at him. "You don't talk until addressed. That's the first lesson. So, how was it? Talk me through it. Be honest with me so I know what you like. I can't read your mind so you're going to have to learn to tell me if something's uncomfortable or if there's something you prefer."

Hugh found the request strange, but he sat up a little, letting Carl still remain close to him. "I didn't like that electric thing. And the cockring wasn't the sort I like. It was too tight. But I didn't mind the rest. I'm not used to filling out forms like that. I suppose you know everything now."

"What you and Jeff had was completely different from what we've got here. This is a lifestyle for us, not something we fit around our normal lives. It needs a different approach. How's your subspace anyway? Are you feeling alright?"

Hugh did feel pretty damn good. His subspace was quite shallow now, but that was partly due to his master's efforts. Making love to him like he had had slowly brought him back to reality. "I'm alright. Jeff didn't always do this for me. Take care of me. Sometimes he just didn't have time. He'd get distracted. Run off to write a new song or something. Once I left him, I got used to coping without that care because there wasn't anyone I could turn to. But I like that you care. It's nice. I appreciate it."

"You let me know if there's anything I can do for you. I might be your master, but I still care about you. Don't be afraid to ask for something if you need it. We have to be able to live together if this is going to work," Carl said.

"So how does this place run anyway? If you guys live this fulltime, how does it work?" Hugh asked.

"You'll live in the servants' quarters, and attend to your duties every day. I'll make sure you've got a bit of an allowance too so you've got some money for yourself. You're not a slave. I try to make sure everyone has some money so that if they decide to leave, they can survive on their own. I'm sure you understand the shock of suddenly being out on your own after a long period as a submissive. Even if you decide to leave, you'd still be welcome to stay as a guest and work on th farm, if you're interested. You'll always have a home here, no matter what happens," Carl said.

Hugh almost didn't believe it, if only for the sincerity on Carl's face. "You really mean that, don't you? Jeff never cared that much. That'll take some getting used to, that will. So what sort of work will I be doing? I'm not working on the farm, am I?"

"No, the farm's separate from what we have here. I think we'll be slotting you in as a hall boy, and you'll assist the housekeepers with their duties. You'll start at the bottom with all the menial shit, sure, but if you prove yourself, you'll move up. Everyone here started with the menial shit. You gotta prove yourself worthy of more important duties. You understand that, right? It's going to be hard work, and there will probably be times when you'll hate me for making you do it because you're right at the bottom, but it won't be forever, I promise," Carl said.

Hugh shrugged. "It's okay. I got used to doing all the menial shit for Jeff too. Except he didn't seem to care about it as much as you do. I got used to it because I thought I needed his dominance. I felt it was the only way to keep him. But I'm good at that stuff. What sort of work will it be? Just the normal cleaning tasks? I won't have to clean the whole house, will I? This is a bit bigger than Jeff's place."

Carl reassured him. "No, I'm not that cruel. I'm a reasonable master. I don't expect all the fires lit, all the cutlery polished, and the floors scrubbed clean every day. That's unreasonable, and more of a way to punish a submissive for not keeping up with ridiculous expectations. I don't do things that way. There's a list of things you'll have to do every day, but there are others that should be done every week or so too that you'll have to remember to keep up with. Ask Rick for the list. He keeps the place in order. Make sure you keep to that list too. Besides, where's the fun in having you all around and working you to the ground if you're all too tired to play?"

Hugh smiled broadly. "We get to play too? Is that why you've got the dungeon?"

"Well, what else would I use the dungeon for, if not for playing? We'll have to arrange play time for you too. It's not all service and housekeeping. Can you imagine how dull that would be? But we'll get to that once you've settled in. You'll need some time to get used to the routine around here first before I play with you. But don't look so sad, we'll still have time to ourselves. There'll be training in the evenings for you for the next week or so, depending on how you progress. I do those myself so you have some idea of what my requirements are and how I like to be served. I know it's a lot to take in, but don't worry, you'll get used to it. Is there anything else you wanted to say? Any questions, even? You can talk freely, so don't hold back if there's something you want to talk about. There's always free talk after play so we can go through anything that might've come up without worrying about being dom and sub. I find it makes things a lot better," Carl said.

Hugh took a moment to think. "No, not at the moment. It all seems pretty clear to me."

"Good. Good. Let me know if you have any other questions. Roy, show him his rooms. He's got the one down the end of the hall. Get him settled in and make sure he knows the house rules. He'll begin formal service tomorrow morning."

Roy bowed. "Yes, sir."

Hugh was reluctant to leave his master, but the fact he had a new master at all was enough to make him obey. He was determined to make this work, one way or another. He wouldn't lose Carl like he'd lost Jeff, he promised himself. The collar around his neck had never felt more important.

* * *

After leaving Carl's room, Hugh followed Roy down the corridor to his sleeping quarters at the end of the hall. Roy made a point of telling him where everything was, what time he'd be woken, and how long he'd have to dress and shower the next morning before breakfast. Hugh took it all in. He felt a little overwhelmed by everything, but he tried not to let it get to him. This wouldn't be a life of fun and games. He had work to do.

Roy left him alone after that. He took a moment to take in his new room. It would hardly have counted as a typical servant's room, though. It was a large, well-lit room that was better fit out than Hugh had expected. He had a double bed, a pair of bedside tables, a lamp, an alarm clock, a wardrobe, and a dresser, as well as a window seat. He had some amazing views back over the countryside. Carl had arranged for some new clothes for him to be brought up as well as he had nothing else to wear.

Hugh was still astounded that this posh room was his. Servants never got anything that good. The rest of the house must be pretty bloody posh if that was what was reserved for the servants.

Hugh didn't waste much more time looking around. He found his pyjamas, made his way to the bathroom to relish in the pleasure of brushing his teeth, before returning to his room to go to bed. It was getting late, and he would need his sleep. He set the alarm for as late as possible. He wanted to stay in that bed as long as he could before he'd have to get up.


End file.
